Four charged as Operation Regional Mongoose is launched – Western Region

Four charged as Operation Regional Mongoose is launched in the Western Region this week.

Operation Regional Mongoose is a high-visibility police operation to tackle serious property-related crime committed predominately by young offenders.

Incidents of note:

• About 7.20pm yesterday (Tuesday 26 September 2023), officers attached to New England Police District attended a home in Moree to speak with the occupant. An 18-year-old was arrested after he was located hiding under a bed. He was taken to Moree Police Station and charged with aggravated break and enter dwelling in company steal. Five outstanding arrest warrants were also executed. The teen was refused bail to appear at Moree Local Court today (Wednesday 27 September 2023).

• About 3pm yesterday (Tuesday 26 September 2023), police attended a home in Gunnedah and arrested an 18-year-old following the investigation into multiple break and enters in the area. He was taken to Gunnedah Police Station and charged with two counts of enter building/land with intent to commit indictable offence, aggravated break and enter with intent- knowing person there and aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence. The teen was refused bail to appear at a children’s court tomorrow (Thursday 28 September 2023).

• Following an alleged armed robbery and pursuit in the Oxley and Hunter Valley regions overnight, police arrested three teenagers. The alleged driver, a 17-year-old boy, was charged with robbery in company, and police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly. The passengers – a boy and girl, both aged 16 – were charged with robbery in company and be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner. All three were refused bail to appear before a children’s court today (Wednesday 27 September 2023).

• As part of ongoing inquiries, officers attached to New England Police District attended a home on Alexander Street, Armidale, about 8am yesterday (Tuesday 26 September 2023), and arrested a 39-year-old man hiding in a shed. The man was taken to Armidale Police Station where outstanding arrest warrants for property and domestic violence-related offences were executed. He appeared at Tenterfield Local Court today (Wednesday 27 September 2023), where he was formerly refused bail to appear at Armidale Local Court on Wednesday 4 October 2023.

Investigations under Operation Regional Mongoose continue.

Anyone with information about Operation Regional Mongoose is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.